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REV. JACOB JOHNSON 

Of Wallingford, (Conn.) and 
Wilkes-Barre, (Pa.) 



F. C. JOHNSON. M. D.. 

WILKES-BARRE, PA., 

Member of Wyomiag Historical Society, 
New England Historical and Geneailogical Society, Etc. 



1904. 




N 

REV. JACOB JOHNSON, 

OF WALUNGFORD, (CONN.) AND WILKES-BARRE, (PA.) 

-BY- / <J / 7 

F. C. Johnson, M. D., 

• WILKES-BARRE, PA., "^ B i"" 

Member of Wyoming Historical Society, 
New England Historical and Genealogical Society, Etc. 



The publication of a brief genealogy of certain of the 
Wallingford (Conn.) Johnsons in the New England His- 
Itorical and Genealogical Register, vol. 55, p. 369, drew out 
so many inquiries for further information that the author of 
ithat article has been prompted to issue a fuller paper than 
was possible in the limited space afforded by a magazine 
(article. All of the matter in the original article above re- 
ferred to is incorporated in this enlarged publication. 

The material has been obtained in a search for data as to 
Rev Jacob Johnson of Wallingford, who spent the first half 
of his ministrv in Groton, Conn., and the latter half in 
Wilkes-Barre, Pa. His biography will be the subject of a 
subsequent pamphlet. 

It has not been possible to determine who was the 
English progenitor of Jacob, for the earlier genealogies are 
conflicting, and in the light of present knowledge, inac- 
curate We know that the son of the progenitor was Will- 
•iam Johnson, one of the founders of Wallingford m 167a 
and from him down there is no break in the records. .But 
while we have every reason to believe Wi ham was a son of . 
Thomas (who was brother of Robert and John), who emi- 
grated from England about 1638, no documentary proof ha \ 
^efbeen found^ However, the circumstantial evidence is 
strong and convincing. The records as far as they go, and 
So fhe various inferences, harmonize with and confirm 
:l^: theory Besides, there is not a thing whicW.p^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
Some of the earlier books, "Tuttle Family, Davis s Wau 
S^ord," etc., represent the elder Jacob Jo -- '^^^^ 
wlw^m of Guilford, whereas he was son of ^ ^^ l^^^i'^ ^^^^^ 
Haven The two Williams were first cousins-the ^'^^^^^^ 
William las son of the emigrant Robert, the New Hav n 
William was son of the emigrant Thomas. This has causea 



<^ ?. 6. / a. ^"* ' 

2 • ^qf^'T 

-confusion. The credit of first correcting the error belongs 
■to Capt. S. Albert Johnson of Boonville, N. Y., who points 
out that the obscurity around Thomas is explained by his 
■early and sudden death, without leaving will or real estate, 
he having been drowned soon after his arrival in America. 

In a New Haven record of the following year (1641) 
Robert the emigrant is called "brother of John, late planter 
in New Haven, deceased," But John was not dead and the 
index gives the name Thomas instead of John, seemingly to 
correct an error. 

In a court record, April 5, 1655, Robert calls the younger 
Thomas (who was a son of Thomas the emigrant) his 
'"nephew." 

In a court record, December 4, 1660, Adeline, wife of 
Robert is called "aunt" by Jeremiah, another son of the first 
Thomas. 

The theory that there were three Johnson brothers in the 
emigration of 1638 — John, Robert and Thomas, — that John 
settled in Rowley, Mass. ; that Robert was the progenitor of 
the Johnsons of Stratford, Conn. ; and that Thomas was the 
progenitor of the Wallingford and New Haven Johnsons 
under consideration in this pamphlet, is now accepted by all 
genealogists who have had the facts laid before them. In 
■the N. E. His.-Gen. Reg., vol. 56, p. 132, James Shepard of 
New Britain, Conn., gives this lineage in an article on the 
New Haven and Wallingford Johnsons, and on page 297 of 
the same volume Dr. Bernard C. Steiner of Baltimore ac- 
cepts the same and furnishes some supplementary matter, 
derived from the manuscripts of Hon. Ralph D. Smyth of 
Guilford. 

Under date of March 25, 1903, James Shepard writes to 
the author of this pamphlet : 

I have found some evidence to prove that the Smith-Steiner ac- 
count of the children of the Thomas Johnson who was drowned in 
1640 is correct as to two of the said children— Thomas and Jere- 
miah. (Abstract enclosed.) 

This shows that one Thomas Johnson was a nephew of Rob- 
ert that said Robert's wife was Adlin (Adeline). That Thomas 
had a brother Jeremiah and wife Ellen. That Adlin Johnson calls 
said Ellen cousin (niece) and Jeremiah calls Adlin h'^ aunt and 
Ellen hifi sister. The same testimony also shows that this 1 nomas 
had a daughter Abigrail. This therefore was the Thomas vvho re- 
moved to New Jersey. 1666, and as Jeremiah was his brother and 
both were nephews of Robert they must have ^een the sons ot 
Thomas who died in 1640. Now this does not quite clinch Daniel 



and William as the sons of Thomas, 1640. but if son No. 1 and No. 
4 belonged to this Thomas then probably Smith's Nos. 2 and 3 
also belonged to him. 

Proprietors' Record, vol, 3, p. 17: Thomas Johnson claimed 
Apr. 7, 1663, a debt in behalf of his father-in-law, Arthur Bost- 
wick, of Stratford, who had a wife Ellen. From this 1 suppose 
she was formerly the widow of Thomas Johnson who was drowned 
in 1640. See Orcut's Stratford. 

Proprietors' Record, New Haven, vol. 2, p. 326: Nov. 6, 1660. 
Inventory and will of Mrs Elizabeth Godnian, late of New Haven, 
deceased, presented by Thomas Johnson. Adlin John.sion, the wife 
of Robert Johnson, and Ellen Johnson, the wife of Thomas John- 
son, testified Adlin Johnson calls Ellen Johns<m her cousin (niece). 
Thomas Johnson said that his brother, Jeremiah Johnson, could 
speak to the clearing of the case. Same matter Feb. 5, 1660, p. 330. 

Jeremiah Johnson testified a question was put to her [Mrs. 
Godman] (whether by his aunt, Adlin Johnson, or by his sister, 
Ellen Johnson, he knows not.), etc. 

Vol. 2, p. 116: April 3, 1655. Robert Johnson to kinsman Thomas 
Johnson, p. 166: May 1, 1655. Thomas Johnson to John Johnson 
above land which he had of his uncle. 



There is a tradition of very long standing that the original 
Connecticut Johnsons came from Cherry-Burton, a village 
about three miles from the cathedral town of Beverly, in 
Yorkshire, about six miles north of Rowley. 

Dr. William Samuel Johnson visited Yorkshire in 1767 
and there met a Mrs. Bell, who was the last survivor of his 
Johnson family in England. In a letter to his father, Dr. 
Samuel Johnson, dated York, October 17th, 1767, he wrote: 

"When I came to Kingston-on-Hull I found Mr. Bell with the 
Mayor of the town at a turtle feast at the inn I put up at. I in- 
troduced myself to him and he me to the Mayor, etc., and after 
some time to his lady, who was very well pleased to see and ac- 
knowledge' me as a relation. She is a worthy, .sensible woman, 
but has few memorials of the family; both her parents havmg 
died when she was two years old. Her father was a lawyer and 
died at the age of thirty-two. Her grandfather lived upon his 
estate which I found was very considerable. Her great uncle was 
a doctor of physic, eminent in his profession, and by his monu- 
ment in Cherry-Burton church (which I visited, as well as the 
family seat there) it appears he died the first of November, 1<Z4 
at the age of ninety-four, having survived his wife and seven out 
of nine children, who all died without issue, the two which sur- 
vived him never married, by which means the whole estate carne 
to Mrs Bell. This old Dr. Johnson retained his memory to tne 
last and as he remembered the transactions of almo.st a century, 
had you happened to have met him when you were there in i(-^. 
he could doubtless have told you the circumstances of the emigra- 
tion of our ancestors, no trace of which can now be discovered. 
(Life and Cor. of Samuel Johnson, D. D., by Beardsley, p. -H^) 

The Stratford Johnsons have a record by Rev. Dr. 
Samuel Johnson in which he tells of the coming of the three 
brothers from Hull, En.gland, about 16.37 to 1640, and he 



gives the sons of Thomas as Thomas, Daniel, Jeremiah and 
WilHam. This statement by Rev. Dr. Samuel Johnson car- 
ries the tradition back to the occasion of his visit to Hull in 
1723, and from the intimate companionship which history 
tells us there existed between Dr. Johnson as a boy and his 
grandfather William of Guilford (who came from Eng- 
land) there is every reason to believe that he heard it from 
his own lips. The conclusion is therefore irresistible that 
the line under consideration is from Thomas. Dr. Samuel 
Johnson also stated, in the record previously referred to, 
that Thomas the younger, son of Thomas the emigrant, was 
the progenitor of the New Jersey Johnsons. 

While in England in 1767 Dr. William Samuel Johnson 
found the family arms in the Heraldry office in London and 
made copy of the same. The arms were given to Archdea- 
con Johnson and they are still to be seen on the walls of Up- 
pingham school, Rutland, England, which was founded by 
him. 



The emigration of the New Haven-Wallingford Johnsons 
from England was in about 1638, a year in which there 
came over twenty ships and at least 3,000 persons. The 
three brothers, John, Robert and Thomas, came from 
Kingston-on-Hull and landed at Boston. They were Puri- 
tans, under the leadership of Ezekiel Rogers, a Cambridge 
graduate and a clergyman of Rowley in Yorkshire. He and 
some of his followers settled on the coast of Massachusetts 
Bay and called their new home Rowley for the old home in 
England. The three Johnsons left Mr. Rogers at Boston 
and repaired to the colony of New Haven, where Thomas 
and Robert permanently settled. John, however, in a year 
or two returned to Massachusetts and joined his former as- 
sociates at Rowley. Davis's "History of Wallingford" 
wrongly says he was killed by Indians. Blodgett's "Early 
Settlers of Rowley" speaks of him as Captain John and 
gives the names of his children and grandchildren. Blodgett 
also says that Elizabeth, a sister of the three emigrant 
brothers, married Jonathan Platts in Rowley in 1665, and he 
gives names of their children. 



5 

Robert died at New Haven in 1694 and was the ancestor 
of the Stratford Johnsons. Robert was the father of Deacon 
Wilham of Guilford (1629-1702) ; was the grandfather of 
Deacon Samuel of Stratford (1670-1727); was the great- 
grandfather of Rev. Dr. Samuel Johnson, the first Episcopal 
clergyman in Connecticut ; and was the great-great-grand- 
father of William Samuel Johnson, LL. D., a brilliant 
lawyer and statesman who as attorney for Connecticut 
figured prominently in the settlement of the controversy 
with Pennsylvania over Wyoming. The latter represented 
Connecticut in the first Colonial Congress in 1765 and signed 
the remonstrance to the King against the Stamp Act. 



Robert Johnson 
of New Haven d. 1694 



brothers 



Deacon Wm. of Guilford 1st cousins 
1629-1702 



Deacon Samuel 

1070-1727 



Rev. Dr. Samuel 

1696-1772 



Dr. William Samuel 
1727-1S19 



2d cousins 



3d cousins 



4th cousins 



Thomas Johnson 
of New Haven d. 1G40 



William of New Haven 
1640-1716 



Jacob of Wallingford 

1G74-1749 



Rev. Jacob of Wyoming 

1713-1797 



Jehoiada Pitt 

1767-1830 



Some of the descendants of John the emigrant, who was 
one of the signers of the New Haven covenant in 1639 
(Hoadley's Colonial Records of Conn., vol, i, p. 17), are 
given in the N. E. His. -Gen. Reg., v. 56, p. 297. 

The line of Robert the emigrant (see Salisbury's Family 
Histories") is considered in a pam.phlet (1902) by James 
Shcpard ("New Haven and Wallingford Johnsons"), from 
the N. E. His.-Gen. Reg., v. 56; also by Dr. Bernard C. 
Steiner, page 297 of same volume. 




(i) Thomas Johnson, the third of the emigrant 
brothers, is the one whose line is specially under consider- 
ation in this pamphlet. That he was drowned with Thomas 
Ashley in New Haven harbor in 1640, is shown by the 
colonial reports of New Haven Colony, pages 31, 59 ^^^^ 



272 eis wife was Helena • Children of 

Thomas Johnson according to Ralph Dunning Smyth, the 
Guilford historian, were as follows : 

9 i Thomas of New Haven and Newark. N. J., progenitor 

2 1 Thomas ot r^ew Johnsons. Born 1630. married first 

ot tne i^evv ^^^^ Frances Hitchcock, third Elenor 

. ' Died Nov 5 1694. aged 64. Thomas' 

Johnson (Thomas^) had Joseph, b. 1651, John, b. 1654, 
AlS b. 1656, Loving, b. 1659, Thomas, b. 1664, 

3 ii Danief S^New Haven'. Had son Daniel, m. Martha and 

4 iii JeremtS T^^^'^^n and Derby. Conn Had Jere- 
4 m J^rem^^an.^ ^ 1664. Samuel, b. 1670," Tamar, Benajah 

+ 5 iv. William (sbmetimes mentioned in the i-^cords as Wingle 
+ or Windle), of New Haven, grandfather of Rev^ 

Jacob Johnson. Writers have confused WJlliani 
with his counsin. Deacon William of Guilford son of 
Robert the emigrant, previously mentioned, p. ^. 
For children see N. E, His.-Gen. Reg., v. 55, p. ^69, 
and "Street Genealogy," p. 15. ^ ^ .,^ . , , , . . 
Savage, v. 2, p. 554, adds a John of Guilford, but his 



identity is unknown. 



(5) William- Johnson (Thomas^), was born in Eng- 
land earlier than 1638. He emigrated to America and 
married in December, 1664, Sarah, daughter of John and 
Jane or Jeanne (Wollen or Woohn) Hall, who was born 
1643, and baptized by Rev. Mr. Davenport in New Haven 
Aug. 9, 1646. Ralph D. Smyth gives him a second wife, 
Abigail', but his first wife Sarah was the mother of all his 
children. His will does not mention either wife. The in- 
ventory amounted to £70, i8s. 2 d. In the town records of 
New Haven he is sometimes mentioned as Wmgle or 
Windle Johnson. See "John Hall of Wallingford/' by 
James Shepard. page 24; also "Hall Ancestry," page 89. 

William Johnson though owning land in Walhngford, did 
not live there, but resided in New Haven. In the latter city 
upwards of thirty deeds of land to and from Wdham John- 
son are recorded. In some of them he is called "husband- 
man" and in others "planter." In 1670 he, together with 
Nathaniel Merriman. John Merriman, Samuel Munson 
Tohn Hall, John Moss, John Peck and John Hitchcock (all 
mentioned in the records) and about thirty others signed the 
original compact for the settlement of Wallingford and be- 
came the original Proprietors, having lots set off for them. 
That of William Johnson was about 20 rods square, adjoin- 



ing lots of Jeremiah Howe and Nathan Andrews. He sold 
it in 1694 to Isaac Curtis. The conveyance (Wallingford 
Land Book, v. i, p. 282,) is an interesting record of those 
early days : 



To all Christian People to whome these presents shall come. 
Greeting 

Know ye yt I Williy-m Johnson of New haven in ye county of new 
haven & collony of Connecticut in New England mason with ye 
consent of Sarah my wife for divers good & well advised consider- 
ations & more especial foi' & in consideration of ten pounds in 
curent pay Received by me Have Bargained sold assigned alien- 
ated & made over & by these presents Doe Bargaine sell Assigne 
Alienate make over & conflrme unto Isaac Curtiss of Wallingford 
planter A certain percell of home lot land cituate lyeing & being 
In ye Town of Wallingford being twenty rodds north & southward 
& nineteen Rodds east & westward 

To Have & to Hold possess occupy & enjoy ye sd land with all ye 
Libertyes previlidges wayes woods under woods Trees grass herb- 
age profhts dvaniages & appertainances thereto belonging or any 
wise appertaining To Him ye sd Isaac Curtiss . . .with- 
out any manner of claim let hindei and eviction ejection disturb- 
ance or Mollestation of me ye sd William Johnson or of my heirs 
Executors administrators or assigns or of from or by any other 
persons whatsoever claiming or yt may claime under pretenc of my 
Right title or Interest or by any act default or consent of mine or 
by my procuremen in any wise directly or indirectly 

In Witness wherof we ye above named William & Sarah Johnson 
have hereunto set our marks & seals 

dated this 20th day of January 1694 & in ye Sixt year of there 
majestie Reign William & Mary King & Queen of England Scotland 
franc & Ireland Defenders of ye faith &c 

his 
in ye presence of William X Johnson [Seal] 

mark 
Richard Spery her 

Moses Mansfield Sarah X Johnson [Seal] 

mark 

William Johnson Senior appeared this 20th of March 1694 & 
acknowledged ye above written Instrument or deed of Sail to be 
his free act & deed according to Law before me Moses Mansfield 
Assistant Recorder per Joseph Houlte 

William died in 1716. The will, recorded as that of 
"William Johnson, senior of New Haven," was made in 
March, 1716, and probated in the following August, v. 4, p. 
450. Bequests to son William, £20; son Isaac, £10, and his 
wife, 40 shillings ; and his children, 40s. ; sons John, Samuel 
and Ebenezer, each 5s. ; son Jacob, 20s. ; daughter, Mary 
Bishop, 40s. ; daughters, Abigail Lines, Sarah Horton, Lydia 
Andrews and Elizabeth Hotchkiss, each 15s.; "the several 
sums in money at inventory price" ; "All my real estate shall 
be comprised to pay my debts and legacies"; remainder to 
son Isaac, who is named as executor. 



8 

Children of William and Sarah (Hall) Johnson: 

6 i Lieut. William, born Sept. 5, 1665, died 1742. Was a 
prominent man in New Haven. Left widow Sarah, four sons and 
three married daughters. 

7 ii John, born July 20, 1667, died 1744; married Abigail, 
daughter of Daniel and Abiah (Street) Sherman. Born Aug. 5, 
1667. Three children. "Street Family," p. 15. 

8 iii Isaac, of Woodbridge, Conn., called deacon and captain 
in the records. Born Oct. 27, 1672, died Oct. 27, 1750. Married April 
25 1699, Abigail, daughter of John and Mary (Tompson) Cooper, 
born Oct. 3, 1679. Her epitaph is given in New Haven His. Society 
papers, vol. 3, page 544. 

9 iv Abraham, born 1669. Not named in father's will. 

10 v Abigail, born December 6, 1670. Married March 30, 1692, 
Joseph Lines, son of Ralph, born 1657. 
-t- 11 vi Sergeant Jacob, of Wallingford, born Sept. 25, 1674, died 
July 17, 1749. Married Abigail, daughter of John 
and Abigail (Merriman) Hitchcock. (N. E. His.- 
Gen. Register for October. 1901.) 

12 Sarah, born Nov. 6. 1676. Married Samuel Horton. She 

was in 1742 a widow with live children. (New 
Haven Probate, vol. 6, page 406.) 

13 vii Samuel, born Sept. 3, 1678. Married Anna Hotchkiss, 

daughter of Thomas. New Haven Land Records, 
V. 10. p. 243. 

14 viii Mary, born April 1, 1680, m. Samuel Bishop, Jr., b. July 

27, 1671. 

15 ix Lydia b. July 7, 1681, m. about 1699, Gideon Andrews, 

son of Nathan and Phebe (Gibbard) Andrews. New 
Haven Probate Record, v. 10, p. 373. 

16 X Hope, b. May 10, 1685, d. same month. 

17 xi Elizabeth b May 10, 1685, twin with Hope, m. Abraham 

Hotchkiss, son of Thomas. ("Hotchkiss Family.") 

18 xii Ebenezer, b. April 5, 1688, m. Lydia Hotchkiss, daughter 

of Thomas. Ebenezer d. of smallpox at Cheshire, 
Conn. April 18, 1732. Tbey had several children 
recorded at Wallingford. His widow m. Sept. 15, 
1736, Nathaniel Hall of Wallingford. 

It will be noted that three of William Johnson's children 
married three of the children of Thomas Hotchkiss. The 
latter was one of the nine children of Samuel Hotchkiss. pro- 
genitor of the Hotchkiss family in America. Shepard says 
the proof of parentage in the three marriages mentioned 
above, is found in the New Haven Land Records, v. lo, p. 
243, where Joseph and Sarah Turner, Samuel and Anna 
Johnson, all of New Haven, Nathaniel Hall and Lydia Hall, 
both of Wallingford, sell to Joseph Sperr>% Jr., "right in es- 
tate of our honored father, Thomas Hotchkiss, deceased." 

(it) Sergeant Jacob Johnson^ {William-, Thomas') 
of Wallingford, born in New Haven, Sept. 25, 1674, d. July 
17, 1749, married Dec. 14, 1693, Abigail, daughter of John 



and Abigail (Merriman) Hitchcock.* He was sergeant of 
the WaUingford Train Band. Is referred to as "sergeant" 
in a deed recorded in 1752 and also in the probate records. 
He was deputy for WaUingford to the General Court in 
1721, 1732, 1733 and 1736 (Col. Rec. of Conn., vol. 6, page 
233 ; vol. 7,' pages 403 and 420, vol. 8, page 27) . He was an 
extensive land owner and left an estate valued at over £14,- 
000. This, however, was in the inflated Old Tenor currency 
with which Connecticut was at that time burdened. For 
example, horses were inventoried at £60 and £70, cows £20 
and higher. The land comprised about 400 acres and there 

were several slaves. 

His epitaph on a well preserved redstone in the WaUing- 
ford burying ground is as follows : 



Here lieth the body 

of Mr. Jacob Johnson 

Died July 17. 1749 

in the 75th year of his age 



His will is dated June 3, i749- and is in the New Haven 
Probate Records, v. 7, P- 520. Names his sons Abner and 
Caleb executors. Makes among others the following pro- 
visions : 

Son (Rev.) Jacob to have negro man Dick and negro woman 

^lon Reuben to have £50, old tenor. After that to share equally 
^'to SiCe Tohnson, daughter of son Israel, deceased. £50 money. 
°^?ir booKs to be eaually clivMed among my wife and chil^e^^^^ 

From the inventory the foi^^^^^ ifltlnds on •' £36; ** a 

negro. £140, ^^'^j'f^^'? ,''f.^ " "^^ silver buckles. 16 shillings. Two 

* Ldeut. Nathaniel Merriman, b. 1640 

^■r-^ I. 1, fant John Merriman 

Abigail, m. John Hitchcock m Elizabeth Peck 

of Wallmgford "'• i 

1 , , raleb Merriman 

Abigail Hitchcock ^ Ruth Sedgwick 

m. Sergeant Jacob Johnson , 

I , Ruth Merriman 

ror«SS .\Ke5;'r.rsSvS)l!f pe-ople were wont .0 meet here 

to warm themselves and eat dmner. 



lO 

Red steer £15, bull £20, 2 two year olds £17, 6 swine, £40, 44 
sheep £80, several spinning wheels, flax, tow, wool, linen yarn, etc., 
pewter chamber pot, gun, sword, horn, powder, bullets, lead flints, 
looking glasses, hat case, chests of drawers, "2 picters" 6s., "saddle, 
bridle and strap" £4-10, "saddle that was Capt. Holt's dec'd £3-25, 
glasses, drinking glasses, vials and small glasses £4, 1 pillion 40s.. 
warming pan 80s., 6 black chairs straight backs £3, 4 flat back 40s., 
2 Great chairs and 4 little chairs, 52s.; box iron and heaters 40s., 
andirons 60s.; large assortment of kitchen ware, old great table 
10s., cheese piers 10s., razor, 12 spoons 12s, 4 home knives and 8 
forks 25s. 

Jacob Johnson's wife, Abigail Hitchcock, d. Jan. 9, 1726, 
and he subsequently m. Dorcas Linsley of Branford, Conn., 
but there was no issue from second marriage. 

Children of Jacob and Abigail Johnson : 

19 i Reuben, b. Aug. 27, 1694, m. Mar. 11, 1718, Mary Dayton, 
(Tuttle Family, page 214). Children: Justus, b. 1721. 
Ephraim, Rebecca. Zaccheus. Ephraim, I am in- 
formed, had a son Luther and a daughter Content. 
Luther at age of 23 was in Revolutionary War. 
Since the above was in type, it is learned that Geo. Ransom John- 
son (see 44) has an old accountbook of (44) Daniel, son of (26) 
Daniel, stating as follows concerning (19) Reuben: 

"Reuben had two sons, Ephraim and Zaccheus. This Ephraim 
had two sons, Luther and John. This Luther had four sons, 
Ephraim, John, George and Elihu." The same record says the 
emigrant ancestor Thomas, was the son of John in England. The 
Wallingford records say Luther was born June 25, 1759 and en- 
listed from Wallingford in 1776. 

+ 20 ii Deacon Isaac, b. Feb. 21, 1696, d. Apr. 23, 1779. Walling- 
ford Records, vol. 1. p. 158. 

21 iii Enos, 1698-1786. Had a son Enos, perhaps Sherburn. 

22 iv Abigail, b. 1699, m. Capt. Benj. Holt, 'Tuttle Family," p. 

214. 
-}- 23 v Capt. Abner, b. Aug. 2, 1702, d. Dec. 28, 1759 m. Charity, 
daughter of Isaac and Rebecca (Tuttle) Dayton of 
New Haven. (Tnttle Family p. 214.) 

24 vi Lieut. Caleb, 1703-1777. m. Rachel Brockett. 

25 vii Israel, 1705-1747, m. Jan. 26, 1732 Sarah Miles. Children, 

according to Davis' "History of Wallingford:" 
Eunice b. 1734, Prudence b. 1738, Caleb b. 1739, Anna»^ 
b. 1736, Miles b. 1741, Warren b. 1747, Jacob b. 1742, 
Rebecca b. 1744, Silas b. 1749. 
4- 26 viii Daniel, 1709-1780, m. Dec. 24, 1732 Joanna Preston. 

27 ix Sarah, b. 1710, m. May 9, 1734, Daniel Bartholomew, b. 
1708. Daniel was the "toler and brander of the 
horsekinde, key-keeper & church pound keeper, 
tithingman, selectman and school director." Bar- 
tholomew Family, p. 86, wrongly states she was 
daughter of Lieut. Caleb. She was his sister. 
-4-28 X Rev. Jacob Johnson, b. at Wallingford, Conn., Apr. 15, 
1713 (town records), d. at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Mar. 15, 
1797. 

The "Hitchcock Genealogy" mentions all of the foregoing 
children and two others : Eunice, b. June, 1697. Lydia, d. 
June 3. 1729. The same work also sa3's: 

"Matthias Hitchcock was one of the original signers of 
the 'fimdamental agreement' of the New Haven colony. 
John Hitchcock (son of Matthias) was one of the original 
proprietors of Wallingford, founded 1670. He m. first 



II 

(1670) Abigail Merrinian (born 1654), daughter of Capt. 
Nathaniel Merriman, who was one of the first settlers of 
WalHngford. John Hitchcock's first three children were b. 
in New Haven 1671 to 1674 and he removed to WalHngford 
in 1676. Children of John Hitchcock: 

1 A daughter. 

ii Samuel. 

-iii Abigail, m. Jacob Johnson, 

iv Mary, m. Benj. Beach. 

V Nathaniel, m. Sarah Jennings, 

vi Margery, m. Joseph Munson 

vii Elizabeth, prob. m. Daniel Lines, 

viii John. m. Marlow Munson. 

ix Matthias, m. Thankful Andrews. 

X Hannah, prob. m. John Lines, 

xi Damaris, m. Sylvanus Clark, 

xii Benj., m. Elizabeth Ives. 

The above Abigail^ Hitchcock (John^, Matthias'^), daugh- 
ter of John and Abigail (Merrinian) Hitchcock, was b. in 
New Haven, Conn., Apr. 10, 1674. She m. Dec. 14, 1697, 
Jacob Johnson, son of William, who was b. 1669. She was 
the mother of his 12 children and died Jan. 9, 1726. Sergt. 
Jacob Johnson was a kinsman of Samuel Johnson, first presi- 
dent of King's College." 

(20) Deacon Isa.^c Johnson* (Jacob^, Williatir, 
Thomas'^), b. Feb. 21, 1696, d. Apr. 23, 1779. Married 
Nov. 26, 1723, Sarah Osborne, who d. Nov. 16, 1766, Wall- 
ingford records, v. 17, p. 198. Query — Is this the Sarah 
Osborne, daughter of Jeremiah, in Austin's Gen. Diet, of 
Rhode Island? Children of Isaac Johnson, from town rec- 
ords, V. 5, pp. 515-551: 

281/2 i Joseph, b. 1725. 

29 ii Abigail, b. Feb. 11, 1727. (Davis says 1722). 

30 iii Sarah, b. Feb. 10. 1729. 
+ 31 iv Isaac, b. June 23, 1731. 

32 V Esther, b. Nov. 30, 1735. 

33 vi Rachel, b. Mar. 6, 1740, m. Stephen Todd, b. Mar. 3, 1735. 

son of Stephen and Lydia (Ives) Todd. They re- 
moved to Salisbury, Herkimer Co., N. Y., in 1792. 
Issue: Jehiel, b. 1761, who m. Hannah Steel; 
Stephen, b. 1773, Bethel b. 1792, m. Hannah Tuttle. 
This family is being traced by Mrs. William H. 
H. Faust, of Ann Arbor, Mich. 

34 vii Rebecca, b. 1744. 

The statement is made in "Munson Family," p. 92. 
that Samuel Munson, b. 1741, m. Rhoda, daughter 
of Deacon Isaac Johnson. 

Town clerk's examination of all the books from 1720 to 
1760 shows no other children of Isaac and Sarah than those 
given above. 

Davis's "WalHngford," p. 833, gives all of above except 
Rebecca and gives in addition Lois, b. Feb. 15, 1738, but the 



12 

town clerk says Lois was daughter of an Isaac and Eliza- 
beth . 

The Wallingford town clerk informs me that there was an 

Isaac, who m. Elizabeth , but he cannot find record 

of their births or marriage. They had two children, Han- 
nah, b. Sept. 13, 1733, and Lois (or Lowys), b. Feb. 15, 
1738. Vol. 5, pp. 507, 540. Also that one Deacon Isaac 
Johnson m. Mrs. Elizabeth Beddles, Apr. 16, 1767; vol. 17, 
p. 196. 

(23) Capt. Abner Johnson*, (ii) Jacob^, William^, 
Thomas^) of Wallingford, born Aug. 2, 1702, died Dec. 28, 
1757, married Dec. 14, 1726, Charity, daughter of Isaac and 
Rebecca (Tuttle) Dayton and great granddaughter of Ralph 
Dayton, the colonist. 

Like his father and grandfather, Abner was a large land 
owner. He was a merchant ("Tuttle Family," p. 214). 
Was commissioned Captain of the first Train Band of Wall- 
ingford at the session of the general court held at New 
Haven, May, 1749. His will made May 7, 1757, and re- 
corded in New Haven Probate Records, vol. 9, pp. 132-3, 
mentions four sons, Dayton, Hezekiah, Abner and Jacob. 

Children of Abner and Charity Johnson: 

Dayton, b. 1728. 

Lydia (1730-1812), m. Ebenezer Pitch. They were great- 
grandparents of Col. Elliott F. Shepard of New 
York. 

Capt. Hezekiah, b. Mar. 12, 1732, d. Feb. 21, 1810. 

Abner, b. 1738, graduated Yale. 

Jacob, b. July 31, 1742, d. June 10, 1816, m. 1767 Esther 
Hotchkiss, b. 1750, d. 1838. Removed to Johnstown. 
N. Y. Was in the Revolutionary Army. Nephew of 
Rev. Jacob Johnson. 
40 vi Charity, b. May 19, 1744. 

Capt. Abner Johnson— Charity Dayton 
bro. of Rev. Jacob Johnson 



35 


i 


36 


ii 


+ 37 


iii 


38 


iv 


-1- 39 


V 



Jacob Johnson— Esther Hotchkiss Capt. Hezekiah Johnson— 



(1742-1816) 

(nephew of Rev. 

Jacob 



(1750-18315) (1733-1810) Ruth Merriman 



Caleb Johnson— Marv Beach Belcher Johnson— Hannah Gaboon 

(1774-1845) I (1778-1854) (1767-1837) 



Stephen Hotchkiss Johnson, m. J^nnor Horsfall 
(1809-1881) 

Horace Johnson— Eliza Pratt 

I (1799-1885) I (1803-1822) 

Rev. Joseph H. Johnson I 

present Bishop of Stephen Albert Johnson— Etmeline 

Los Angrelcs, Cal. (1840) Thomson 

These lines are being traced by S. Albert Johnson, Boonville, N. 
Y., and Rt. Rev. Joseph H. Johnson, bishop of Los Angeles. 



13 

(26) Daniel Johnson* (Jacob^, William-, Thomas^). 

He was a trial justice under the King. Bom 1709, d. Oct. 

14, 1780, m. Dec. 24, 1732, Joanna Preston. She wash. 

Mar. 18, 1714, d. Jan. 18, 1781. Children: 

41 i Charles*, b. Nov. 13, 1735, d. at sea. 
-f 42 il Capt. Solomon, b. May 4, 1740. Line being traced by Ed- 
ward H. Johnson, Philadelphia. 
43 iii Joanna, b. Apr. 4, 1743. 
+ 44 iv Lieut. Daniel, b. Mar. 24, 1746. Line being traced by Geo. 
Ransom Johnson, Cheshire, Conn. 

45 V Israel, b. July 8, 1748. 

46 vi Justin, b. Mar. 4, 1752. 

47 vii Abigail, b. Dec. 23, 1753. 

48 vlii Joshua, b. July 26, 1757. 

49 ix Mindwell, b. May 19. 1738. 

50 X Rebecca, b. Mar. 29. 1759. 

(28) Rev. Jacob* Johnson (Jacph^, William-), 
Thomas^), born at Wallingford, April 7, 1713; died March 
I5» 1797- While pastor at North Groton, he married Mary, 
daughter of Capt. Nathaniel and Mary (Williams) Gid- 
dings, of Preston, Conn. She was born Nov. 28, 1730, and 
died in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Jan. 18, 1805. His biography is 
given in Dexter's Graduates of Yale, but it is erroneous as 
to parentage and year of birth. 

Rev. Jacob Johnson's monument at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., has 
the following epitaph : 

Rev. Jacob Johnson, A. M. 1 Born at Wallingford, Conn., April 7, 
1713. I Died at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., March 15, 1797. | Graduated at 
Yale College. 1740. | Pastor of Congregational Church, | Groton, 
Conn., 1749-1772. | First pastor of Wilkes-Barre Congregational | 
(subsequently First Presbyterian) | 1772-1797. | He made mission- 
ary journeys to the I Six Nations, | Preaching in the Indian lan- 
guage. I He was an early and outspoken advocate | of American 
liberty and a commanding | figure in the early history of | Wyo- 
ming. I He wrote the articles of capitulation | following the de- 
struction of the I infant settlement | by the British and Indians | 
In 1778 I and was a firm and self-sacrificing | defender of the Con- 
necticut title I throughout the prolonged land contest. | 

Children, all born in Connecticut, but lived and died in 
Wilkes-Barre : 

+ 51 i Jehoiada Pitt Johnson, b. 1767, d. 1830. Left large family. 
52 ii Jacob Johnson, b. about 1765, d. May, 1807. Had two 
daughters: Mary B., m Phineas Nash Foster. 
Lydia, m. A. Smith. The Wyoming Herald, Oct. 18, 
1822, mentions the marriage "at Groton, Conn., of 
Mr. A. Smith of Aurelius, N. Y.. to Miss Lydia John- 
son, formerly of Wilkes-Barre." Mr. and Mrs. Fos- 
ter had one child, Charles D. Foster, b. Nov. 25, 1836, 
who m. Mary J. Hoagland of New Jersey, and they 
had two children: Florence, m. Dr. Frank T. Jen- 
kins, son of Admiral Thornton A. Jenkins. U. S. N., 
and Lily, died young. Mr. Foster's ancestor, 
Thomas Nash, was one of the founders of New 
Haven, Conn., he having come to America with Rev. 
John Davenport's company in 1637. 



14 

-I- 53 lil Lydia, b. in 1756, m. Col. Zebulon Butler, commander of 
the patriot forces in the battle of Wyoming. 
54 iv Christiana Olive, m. William Russell, who had a pottery 
on River street below Union. She died Jan. 16, 1830, 
(or 1834). He died July 10, 1829. 

There were also two daughters of (28) Rev. Jacob John- 
son who died in infancy: Zipporah, in 1764, aged 2 years. 
There were "little sisters and a little brother Jacob," as 
learned from a published sermon of Rev. Jacob Johnson 
dated 1765. 

According to the Russell bible William was the son of 
William Russell and Mehitable Cowen (who were married 
Jan. 4, 1773). He was born Feb. 15, 1774, and died July 
10, 1829. He was married to Christiana Olive Johnson 
March 25, 1801, by Doctor Matthew Covell, a magistrate. 
They had no children. 

The following is taken from Peck's "Early Methodism," 
and the introductory statement is by Rev. William Colbert, a 
pioneer Methodist preacher. The writer of the lines, Miss 
Christiana Johnson, subsequently married William Russell. 

"Preached in the court house (1792) at Wilkes-Barre. 
Made a public collection and got 13s. and 8 d. I received a 
friendly letter to-day from Miss Christiana Johnson, a young 
woman, I believe, of good sense and of an excellent spirit. 
What she has in friendship addressed to me in verse, I shall 
here for my own satisfaction, insert verbatim :" 



You, Sir, have ventured thus to come 

A wild and craggy road. 
Willingly left your former home 

To visit our abode. 

I hope your labor'll not be spent 

In vain along our shores 
Nor you have reason to repent 

You came within our doors. 

And may your path with flowers be spread. 
While through the woods you rove. 

May you with joy the carpet tread 
Throughout the Luzerne grove. 

May heaven grant you sweet repast — 

Religion all your theme; 
Each day be happier than the last 

Along the winding stream. 

And when these borders you do leave, 

And can no longer stay, 
May you a laurel crown receive 

That never fades away. 



15 

"We have copied these lines," says Peck, "as ilkistrative 
of the times. Miss Johnson was a daughter of 'old Priest 
Johnson,' as he is called by the older people who remember 
him. He was a Presbyterian minister who came into the 
country with the early Yankee settlers, was in Forty Fort on 
the day of the battle, and went to John Butler's headquarters 
with others with a flag of truce, and assisted in negotiating 
the capitulation. The daughter who wrote the above lines 
became a Methodist, married a Methodist and died in the 
Methodist faith and in the communion of the Methodist 
Church. Her conversion to Methodism aflfords undoubted 
evidence that, as a distinct form of Christianity, it had al- 
ready attained considerable influence over the public mind in 
Wyoming. We have copied Miss Christiana's rhymes to 
Mr. Colbert, not because there is much of the spirit of the 
muses m them, but as a specimen of the literature and senti- 
ment of that early period of the history of our country. 
Like the old patriotic ballads, it is valuable as a specimen of 
home-made poetry, as well as an evidence of ardent piety 
and generous hospitality." 

(31) Isaac Johnson'^ {Deacon I saac^, Sergeant J acoh^, 
William-, Thomas^). Born June 23, 1731. He disappears 
from the Wallingford records and is perhaps the Isaac who 
removed to Massachusetts, locating near Hadley, at a place 
locally known as Hockanum, the name of the old home in 
Hartford County, Connecticut, adjoining New Haven 
County, in which Wallingford is located. He evidently 
married one Abigail — , elsewhere than at Wallingford, as 
there is no record of his marriage there. See (20) Deacon 
Isaac. 

Children of Isaac and Abigail, from Wallingford town 
records : 

55 1 David, b. June 24. 1758. Vol. 13, p. 562. 

56 ii Mary, b. Feb. 14, 1759. Vol. 17, p. 203. 

57 ill Lois. b. Dec. 29. 1761. 

58 iv Stephen Shipman, b. Oct. 22. 1763. 

59 V Isaac, b. Jan. 2, 1766. 

60 vi Warren, b. Jan. 9, 1768. 

The Hadley Johnsons say their progenitor was Isaac and 
that he was from WalHngford. Whether he is (31) Isaac^ 
{Isaac\ Jacob\ William-, Thomas^) or not cannot be settled 
by information now at hand. They say their ancestor Isaac 



i6 

was born in 1735 or 1736 and that he married one EHzabeth 

, who was b. 1735, d. 1808, and who may have 

been a second wife. This Isaac had a son Stephen, b. 1762 
or 1763. The elder Isaac and son Stephen went to Hadley 
from ElHngton, Tolland Co., Conn., which is up the Con- 
necticut River about 40 miles, or about 60 miles from Wall- 
ingford. The line as taken from gravestones and family 

records at Hadley is furnished as follows by Clifton John- 
son : 

Isaac, b. 1735 or 1736, m. Elizabeth , who was born in 

1735, died 1808. They had, among other children, 

Stephen, b. Aug. 5, 1762 (or 1763), m. in 1791 Sarah Lyman who 
was b. 1770, d. 1835. Stephen and Sarah had Alfred, Sally (m. 
Pomeroy), Julia Ann (m. Hammond) and 

Stephen, b. 1800, d. 1882, m. Catherine Root, b. 1809, d. 1870. They 
had Cornelia, m. Nash; Laura, m. Richards, Elliott; and Chester 
Lorenzo, b. 1834, father of Clifton Johnson. 

Stephen, above (b. 1762), had a son Alfred, who had a son Rev. 
Myron A., who has a son Rev. Walter De Forest Johnson of 
Wilkes-Barre. 

(T,y) Capt. Hezekiah Johnson^ {Abner*^ Sergeant 
Jacob'', William-, Thomas'^) of Wallingford and Hamden, 
Conn. Born Mar. 12, 1732, d. Feb. 21, 1810, m. Nov. 1753, 
Ruth, daughter of Caleb and Ruth (Sedgwick) Merriman, 
great grand-daughter of Capt. Nathaniel Merriman the 
colonist, (one of the original proprietors of Wallingford,) 
and of Major General Robert Sedgwick of Charlestown, 
Mass. Charter member and thrice captain of the Ancient 
and Honorable Artillery Co. of Boston. A distinguished 
soldier under Cromwell, Governor of Jamaica, etc., etc. 
He was a soldier of the Revolution, having enlisted at the 
iime of the Lexington alarm. Also served in Capt. 
Nathaniel Johnson's company. Col. William Douglass, 
Fifth Battalion of Connecticut, from June to December, 
1776, in Washington's army at New York. Also was a vol- 
unteer under Gen. Gates in 1777. (Record in Adjt. Gen. 
office, Hartford, Conn.) When the British, under Benedict 
Arnold, threatened the Connecticut coast, he led a company 
of volunteers from Wallingford to the defense of New Lon- 
don and was in the engagement there : 

Children of (37) Capt. Hezekiah Johnson: 

61 i Caleb, b. July 18, 1759, graduate of Yale. 

62 ii George, b. Nov. 7. 1760. 

63 iii Charles, b. Nov. 2, 1762 

64 iv Lucinda, b. July 18, 1763. 

65 v Ruth, b. May 23, 1765, m. Asahe] Hall. 
-I- 66 vi Belcher, b. 1767, d. 18.S7. 

67 vii Hezekiah, m. Elizabeth Tuttle and lived at Hamden, 
Conn. (For biog. sketch of son Sylvanus see Iowa 
Historical Record, April, 1902.) 



17 

The tombstones of Capt. Hezekiah and Rutli Johnson in 
the burying ground at Hamden, Conn., bear these inscrip- 
tions : 

Sacred 

In Memory To the Memory of 

of MRS. RUTH JOHNSON 

CAPT. HEIZEKIAH JOHNSON Wife of Capt. Hezekiah Johnson 

Who Died Who Departed This Ljfe 

February 21st ISIO December 12th 1817 

Ae. 77 Ae. 77 

Let each who has a soul to save Let not the dead forpotten lie 
Extend his view beyond the grave Lest men forget that they must die. 
And while salvation still is nigh 
To Christ the friend of sinners Hy. 

(39) Jacob Johnson'^ (Abner*, Jacob^, IVillianr, 
Thomas^), b. July 31, 1742, d. June 10, 1816. Removed to 
Johnstown, N. Y., about 1800. Was in War of Revohition, 
1776 to 1783. Married Esther Hotchkiss (1750-1838). 
Had eight children. Had a son Jacob, who m. Sarah Jewett 
and who with the three other Jacobs is confused in the Tuttle 
Genealogy. (39) Jacob's son Caleb had a large family, 
among his sons being Hon. Stephen Hotchkiss Johnson, 
Judge of Schenectady County, father of the Right Rev. 
Joseph H. Johnson (b. 1847) Protestant Episcopal bishop of 
Los Angeles, California. 

(42) Captain Solomon Johnson'' of Wallingford 
(Daniel*, Jacob^, William^, Thomas'^), h. May 4, 1740, d, 
Apr. 4, 1799. Was a Revolutionary soldier and sea captain. 
Married Dec. 6. 1765, Mary Barker (b. Mar. 10, 1742, d. 
Sept. 7, 1825). Left a son Charles": 

Charles", (Solomon"), b. May 3, 1767, in Wallingford, d. 
Sept. 22, 1848, in Durham, N. Y. Was captain of a troop of 
horse in Durham, N. Y. Charles married Elizabeth Rice of 
New Haven, Conn., who was born Oct. 22, 1769, d. Dec. 25, 
1840. Charles left a sen, Solomon Rice Johnson^ : 

Solomon Rice Johnson'^, b. August, 1797, in Durham, d. 
Nov. 5, 1833, in Durham, N. Y., m. Oct. 12, 1828, Mary 
Whittlesey of Saybrook, Conn., b. Dec. 12, 1797, d. Dec. 3, 

1829. Left a son, Solomon Whittlesey Johnson^ : 
Solomon Whittlesey Johnson®, b. Nov. 5, 1829, in Dur- 
ham, N. Y., m. Sept. 15, 1853, Adelaide Hine, b. Feb. 12, 

1830, in Cairo, N. Y. Had a son, Edward Hine Johnson® : 



68 


1 


69 


ii 


70 


iii 


71 


iv 


72 


V 


73 


vi 



i8 

Edward Hine Johnson®, b. June 29, 1854, in New York 
City, graduate of Yale, m. Dec. 12, 1883, Frances Van Leer 
Earle of Philadelphia, b. Oct. 27, 1858. Had a son, Edward 
Earle Johnson'**. 

Edward Earle Johnson^", b. Oct. 31, 1884, in Philadelphia. 

(44) Lieut. Daniel Johnson^ (Daniel*, Sergeant 

Jacflb^, William-, Thomas'^), b. 24, 1746, d. Sept. 2, 

1830, m. Rebecca Hitchcock, Apr. 19, 1781, b. Jan. 18, 1749, 
d. July 25, 1813. 

Children of Daniel and Rebecca : 

Cephas, b. Jan. 8, 1782. 

Augustus, b. June 27, 1783 

Willett. b. July 23. 1785. 

Dan., b. Mar. 31. 1787. 

Ransom, b. Aug. 27. 1788 

Louisa, b. Apr. 25, 17&1. Married Amos Curtis of Meri- 
den. Conn. Mr. and Mrs. Curtis left two children, 
Lucy, wife of Edgar Munson of Williamsport. Pa., 
and Sylvester Johnson Curtis of New York City. 
Mrs. Munson had two sons. C. La Rue Munson of 
Williamsport and Robert H. Munson of Bay Mills. 
Mich. The latter has one son. Thomas H. Curtis. 

Of the children of Daniel and Rebecca, Cephas had two 
sons: Edward died without issue. Franklin left two sons 
and two daughters, Homer R., Elmer F,, Minnie and Emma. 
Willett was impressed aboard a man-of-war in 1812 and 
never heard from after. Augustus and Dan, no descend- 
ants. (72) Ransom was a clergyman, married Esther 
Frost, Sept. 8, 18 12. 

Children of Ransom and Esther: 

i Horace^ b. Sept. 12, 1814; ii Rebecca, b. Jan. 25. 1818; iil 
Richard, b. Apr. 25. 1823; Esther R.. b. Dec. 30, 1827; Laura 
A., b. Aug. 25. 1833. 

The above Horace'', son of Rev. Ransom'', married 
Aurelia Bishop March 31, 1839. Children: Maria A., b. 
Mar. 2, 1840; Mary A., July 28, 1842; William E., b. Feb. 
20, 1845; George Ransom Johnson, b. Apr. 8, 1848; Ellen 
C, b. Aug. 30, 1853: Emily E., b. Sept. 18, 1855. 

George Ransom Johnson^ (Horace'^) married Antoinette 
E. Norton May 31, 1883. Children: George Welles, b. 
May 18, 1884; Bertha A., b. Mar. 5, 1886; Robert James, b. 
June II, 1888. Dorothy Estella, b. Oct. 11, 1890; Joseph 
Ransom, b. Nov. 21, 1893 ; Louisa Maria, b. Oct. 15, 1899. 



19 

(51 ) Jehoiada Pitt Johnson" {Jacob*, Jacob^, Will- 
iam-, Thomas^) was born in Wallingford, Connecticut, in 
1767, "while the animated discussions preceding the Revohi- 
tion were going on, and the elder Pitt was thundering his 
anathemas in ParHament against the ministers for their 
tyrannous conduct to the colonies; his father named him 
Jehoiada Pitt (Jehoiada, the Knowledge of God, Pitt from 
the patriot orator), showing at once the religious bearing of 
his mind and his zeal for freedom." The quotation is from 
Charles Miner, the historian of Wyoming. Jehoiada was a 
child of only five years when his father in 1772 located in 
Wilkes-Barre as first settled pastor of the frontier settle- 
ment. While yet a youth the troublous times in which he 
lived caused him to take a lively interest in the controversy 
between Connecticut and Pennsylvania over Wyoming and 
in 1784, when he was only 17 years old, we find him actively 
engaged with the Yankees (Connecticut claimants) in what 
is known as the Pennamite War. Miner relates (page 356) 
that he was one of nearly a hundred Connecticut men who 
were arrested at Wilkes-Barre by the Pennsylvania au- 
thorities on the charge of "treason." Some of the prisoners 
were sent to Northumberland jail and some to the Sunbury 
jail. 

Jehoiada P. Johnson became an active business man of his 
day. He removed from Wilkes-Barre to Laurel Run, pres- 
ent Borough of Parsons, near Wilkes-Barre, about 1810, in 
which year he built a grist mill there and conducted it suc- 
cessfully for many years. Laurel Run was at that early day 
a hamlet which was for years the centre of important milling 
and manufacturing interests. Daniel Downing built a saw 
mill there in 1800, and the same was in constant use till 1842. 
Capt. Hezekiah Parsons built a carding and fulling mill. 
Other industries sprang up later. Jehoiada P. Johnson was 
prominent in the business and educational life of this active 
community in those early days, and here he raised a large 
family. The Wilkes-Barre Gazette and Sentinel for Feb. 
9, 1801, mentions that he was one of the poormasters in 1799, 
and this was the only ofiice he ever held. He died at the old 
home, Jan. 8, 1830, and a local paper, the Democrat, said of 
him : 



20 

"Died at his residence in Willces-Barre Townsliip, Jan. 8, 1830, 
Mr. Jehoiada Pitt Johnson, in the 63rd year of his age. The de- 
ceased had been an inhabitant of this part of the country since 
almost the years of his infancy. And although too young to par- 
ticipate in the first struggle in the settlement of this valle-". yet he 
has been actively engaged in many which have been subsequent. 
He has always pursued a private path, unambitious of public 
honor. The general outlines of his character are expressed in a 
few words — he was a icind husband — an affectionate father — a 
worthy citizen — and an honest man." 

Hon. Hendrick B. Wright wrote of him in the Luzerne 
Union : 

"Jehoiada lived many years near Laurel Run, an industrious, 
honest man. I knew him well. He was among the representative 
men of the Wyoming Valley. Tall, straight and erect, at least six 
feet. I often saw him when Ovid and I were youths together. I 
knew him intimately for nearly or quite half a century, and dur- 
ing all of that long time he was a man of honesty, of integrity, 
and in every way a good citizen." 

Jehoiada P. Johnson married Hannah, daughter of Robert 
Frazer, a descendant of the Frazers of Lovat Dale in Scot- 
land, and the family was said to be related to the unfortu- 
nate Sir Simon Frazer, Lord Lovat. 

Robert was being educated for the kirk, but being a young man 
at the time of Wolfe's expedition against the French in Canada he 
left his school and enlisted in the British army, and fought as a 
sergeant under that brave but unfortunate general at Quebec and 
received a musket shot wound in the elbow on the plains of Abra- 
ham. He finally came to Wyoming with the Connecticut adven- 
turers, where he was engaged in teaching the youth of the infant 
settlement for many years. A Robert Frazer served in the Revo- 
lution on the U. S. frigate Confederacy, as shown by the Con- 
necticut Revolutionary records, and after coming to Pennsylvania 
he drew a pension from the Philadelphia office for Revolutionary 
services, but he was not this Robert. 

Robert Frazer lived on a tract of land below Plymouth. In the 
"Proceedings of the Commissioners under the Confirming Law," 
manuscript records in the archives of the Wyoming Historical 
Society, Col. Obadiah Gore testified as follows: "The Robert 
Frazer above named, dwelt on the land [a tract on the west side 
of the river a little below Plymouth] about 1773 and continued 
there till the year 1777, when he enlisted under the deponent in the 
late war." Robert Frazer died in 1790 and letters of administra- 
tion were issued to his wife Sarah and Robert Faulkner, Jesse 
Fell and Nathan Carey were sureties in the sum of £200. 

Simon Fraser, the Scottish chifetain, known in history as Lord 
Lovat, born about the year 1676, was the second son of Thomas 
Fraser, third son of Hugh, seventh Lord Lovat. Lord Lovat's 
mother was Sybilla, daughter of the chief of the Macleods. The 
Frasers were of Norman origin. A Pierre Fraser went to Eng- 
land with William the Conqueror. His grandson settled in the 
south of Scotland, whence the family branched off into Aberdeen- 
shire and Invernesshire, the latter branch furnishing most of the 
Frasers of this country, who now number about 7,000. Simon 
Fraser was Lord Lovat the twelfth. In the insurrection of 1745 he 
was charged with trying to play a double game, by sending forth 
his clan, under the command of his son, to fight for the Pretender 
and deeply plotting for that cause, while he professed to be a loyal 
subject. He was a special object of the vengeance of the govern- 
ment, and after a trial by his peers was beheaded on April 9, 1747. 



+ 74 


i 


+ 75 


ii 


+ 76 


iii 


+ 77 


iv 


+ 78 


V 


+ 79 viii 



21 

Hannah Frazer, wife of Jehoiada P. Johnson, died Aug. 
2Z, 1855, aged 73 years. 

Children of Jehoiada P. and Hannah F. Johnson : 

Ovid Frazer, b. Mar. 25, 1807, d. Feb. 12, 1853. 

Mary Giddings, b. Nov. 3, 1809, d.Nov. 12, 1880. — 

Jehoiada, b. Jan. 20, 1812, d. Dec. 31, 1871. 

William P., b. Mar. 14, 1814, d. Jan. 26. 1893. 

Miles, b. Mar. 16, 1816, d. Oct. 6, 1889. 

Sarah, A., b. Mar. 18, 1824, d. Apr. 20, 1903, Columbus, O. 
+ 80 vi Priestley R., b. Dec. 20, 1819, d. July 5, 1878. 
+ 81 vii Wesley, b. Dec. 20, 1819, d. Oct. 27, 1892. 

82 ix Diantha. b. Sept. 22, 1826, d. Nov, 4, 1874, unmarried. 

83 X Zipporah, d. Sept. 18. 1806, aged 20 mos. . 

84 Christiana, b. about 1817, d. in infancy. 

(53) Lydia Johnson^ (/aco&*, Jacoh^, William", 
Thomas^) was born in Groton, Connecticut, 1756, and was 
the second wife of Col. Zebulon Butler (married August, 
1775), who commanded the patriot forces in the battle of 
Wyoming, July 3, 1778. After the massacre her hu.sband 
withdrew from the valley with the remnant of the Conti- 
nental force, taking her with him on horseback, they making 
their way across the wilderness to Connecticut. She re- 
turned three years later to Wyoming, where she died in 1781 
of a prevailing fever. They had only one child, Capt. Ze- 
bulon Butler. Charles Miner says of the son: "Of dark 
complexion, his black eye, when cheerfully animated, was 
brilliant and pleasing. He was handsome and from his ex- 
tremely fine form, he was eminently attractive. His stop 
was elastic but firm, his head erect, his carriage noble. In 
command of his company on parade he looked every inch a 
man. Honorable, generous, high spirited he seemed to pant 
for a wider field and more exciting scenes of action. He 
was cut off in the prime of Ufe and his numerous and inter- 
esting family are widely scattered." Capt. Zebulon Butler, 
Jr., married Jemima, daughter of Jabez Fish. (See His- 
torical Record, vol. 7, page 126.) 

Children of Capt. Zebulon and Jemima (Fish) Butler: 

Burton Butler, b. Dec. 3, 1799, m. Martha Kendall. Children: 
Robert, Zebulon, Lydia. 

Lydia Butler, b. Mar. 8, 1801, m. Isaac Stoddart. Children- 
Rebecca, Butler, John, Henry, Harriet, Louise, Ashton. Armot 
Amanda, Lydia, Emma, Sarah. 

Sarah Butler, b. Oct. 5, 1802, m. Samuel Curtis. Children: Zebu- 
lon, Chester, Edward, Martin 

Harriet Butler, b. Aug. 19, 1806, m. Joseph L. Silver. Children: 
Mary Butler Silver, Joseph Silver, Frank Silver, Charles Silver, 
Marcus Silver, George Silver. 



22 



Ann Butler, b. July 4, 1808, m. Rev. Joseph Castle, D. D. Chil- 
dren: Theodore Butler Castle, A. Dana Castle, Wm. Henry Castle, 
Joseph C. Castle, John Durbin Castle. 

John Butler, b. April 14, 1812, m. Elizabeth . Children: 

Henry and Sarah. 

Houghton Butler, b. May 2, 1810, m. Sophia Dibble. One child, 
Otis. 

Welles Butler, b. Apr. 17, 1813, m. . Children: Fanny, 

Samuel Weller. Joseph and Henry. 

Sylvina Mallery Butler, b. Mar. 27, 1816, m. Marcus G. Heilner. 
Children: Percy Butler Heilner, Walter Silver Heilner, Marcus 
Butler Heilner, Laura Sylvina Heilner and George Corson Heil- 
ner. 

(66) Belcher Johnson*' (Hezckiah^ Abner*, Jacob", 
WiUiani^, Thomas^), b. at Walling-ford, Conn., Dec. 25, 
1767, d. at Salisbury, N. Y., June 20, 1837, m. Hannah, 
daughter of Reynolds and Mary (Rathbun) Gaboon, a de- 
scendant of William Gaboon, a native of Scotland, and of the 
ancient clan of Golquboun, whose lands lay on the west of 
Loch Lomond in Dunbartonshire. He emigrated to America 
and in 1669 signed the agreement and became a citizen of 
Swansea, R. I. He was probably the William Gaboon who 
was buried in Swansea, together with eight others, June 24, 
1675, being the nine persons killed by the Indians. (N. E. 
Register, v. 52, p. 145.) 

John Rathbun, the great-great-grandfather of Hannah 
Gaboon, was one of the first settlers of Block Island, being 
one of the sixteen purchasers of the island, April, 1661. 

Belcher Johnson having received from his father his pro- 
portion of his estate soon after he was of age, removed to 
New York State and purchased lands in the town of Salis- 
bury, Herkimer Gounty, it being a part of the tract called the 
"Royal Grant" made by King George III to Sir William 
Johnson, and which was confiscated after the Revolution. 
On this farm he lived all his life, having erected a handsome 
and commodious house, which is still standing half a mile 
east of Salisbury Gentre. His family consisted of three sons 
and five daughters : Galeb, b. 1799, d. 1875, m. Ann Mun- 
hall. Horace, b. 1799, d. 1885, m. Eliza Pratt. William R., 
M. D., b. 1816, d. 1892, m. Mary Ann Delemater. Hannah, 
m. Emmet Vosburgh. Sarah, m. Gornelius Lambertson. 
Sophia, d. while at school at Gazenovia Seminary. 
Sophionia, m. James Ferguson. Almona, m. George Arne. 

Horace Johnson, son of Belcher, b. at Salisbury, N. Y., 
Sept. 9, 1799, d. at Boonville, N. Y., Jan. lo, 1885, m. April 



L.ofC. 



23 

3, i822, Eliza, daughter of. Stephen and Elizabeth (Rice) 
Pratt of Salisbury, N. Y. About 1823 he settled at Con- 
stableville, Lewis County, N. Y., and engaged in the tan- 
ning business. He soon became prominent in all local af- 
fairs ; was elected Justice of the Peace and afterwards Asso- 
ciate Justice of Lewis County. He was several times Super- 
visor of the town and Postmaster. He was commissioned 
Lieutenant and Captain in the State Militia by Governor De 
Witt Clinton in 1826. 

Horace's children were : 

i Elizabeth, b. Oct. 13, 1S25, m. D. H. Ainsworth, civil engineer, 

graduate of Geneva College, 
ii Sarah, b. Mar. 29, 1829, d. Mar. 21, 1864, m. Dec. 17, 1857, I>an- 
forth H. Ainsworth (who afterwards married Elizabeth). 

iii Henry William, b. Mar. 15, 1831, d. May 8, 1875, m. Ellen B., 
daughter of George W. Welles of Brooklyn. Had several 
children. 

iv Augusta, b. May 18, 1833, d. Sept. 8. 1882, m. Hon. Theodore 
Hawley of Fort Dodge, Iowa, graduate of Hamilton Col- 
lege. 

V Franklin Constantine, b. June 23, 1835, d. May 20. 1896, m. Mary 
Eliza, daughter of Col. D. R. Murray of Cloverport, Ky. 
He was educated at Rome Academy. Settled at New 
Albany, Ind. He was Councilman of the City of New Al- 
bany, State Senator from Floyd and Clark counties, Com- 
missioner to the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia in 
1876. also to the International Exposition at Paris in 1878. 
where he was chosen a member of the International Jury. 
He had conferred upon him the decoration of "The Legion 
of Honor of France." Children: Eliza, Franklin H., 
Albert S. 

vi Stephen Albert Johnson^ (Horace', Belcher^ Hezekiah', 
AbnerS Jacob^ William^ Thomas'), b. May 23, 1840, and 
resides at Boonville, N. T., m. June 26, 1866, Emeline, 
daughter of Schuyler C. and Verlona (Babbitt) Thomp- 
son. Is now senior member of the firm of S. C. Thompson 
& Co., bankers, of Boonville, N. Y. Being in Philadelphia 
when the Civil War broke out he enlisted in the 3rd, 
afterwards the 72nd, Regiment of Pennsylvania Volun- 
teers, and after passing through several battles, was 
wounded at Antietam and afterwards honorably dis- 
charged. In 1863 he was appointed captain of a company 
in the 8th Indiana Legion and served in the field through- 
out the Morgan campaign. His children were: Franklin 
Constantine, b. April 26, 1869, d. Jan. 6, 1895, at Nice, 
France. William Schuyler, b. June 9. 1870. m. Laura 
Mary, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. LaFayette Rinkle. He is 
assistant cashier of S. C. Thompson & Co.'s Bank. Flor- 
ence Augusta, b. Jan. 11, 1876, m. Egerton Ryerson Will- 
iams, Jr., attorney-at-law, resides at Rochester, N. Y. 
Mrs. S. Albert Johnson died at Los Angeles, May 15, 1904. 

(74) OvTD Frazer Johnson^ {Jehoiada^, Jacoh^, Will- 
iam'^, Thomas'^), b. March 25, 1807, at Wilkes-Barre. Pa., 
d. Feb. 12, 1853. He became a member of the Luzerne Bar. 
removing in 1833 to Harrisburg, where he soon took a lead- 



24 

ing position, both as a lawyer and as a political writer. He 
was the author of a series of essays called "Governor's 
Papers," published at Harrisburg in the Keystone news- 
paper, purporting to come from Governor Ritner to his 
cabinet at the capitol and by turning the administration into 
ridicule before the people, he did more to break down the 
old Whig ascendancy and to promote the election of David 
R. Porter than any other man in the party. He also figured 
conspicuously in the so-called Buckshot War of that period. 
Governor Porter made Mr. Johnson his attorney general, he 
being at that time 32 years of age and the youngest man who 
had ever occupied the office of attorney general, which office 
he held during both terms of that administration. To quote 
further from a writer who knew him well: "His opinions 
were held in high estimation by the governor and he con- 
tributed in no small degree to the success of that adminis- 
tration. He was a giant in intellect and attained as high a 
position at the bar as any other lawyer that Luzerne has ever 
produced. He associated on intimate terms with Webster, 
Choate, Clayton and others of national repute during his 
official career and always proved himself fellow to the proud- 
est in this bright galaxy of talent and won golden opinions 
for the way in which he conducted the case of Prigg vs. 
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the Supreme Court of 
the United States, one of the first to be adjudicated of those 
unfortunate color cases, which with the Dred Scott case at a 
later period, precipitated the War of Secession." Some 
time previous to 1850 he identified himself with a revolution- 
ary movement by which the northern States of Mexico were 
to be detached from the mother country and the Republic 
of Sierra Madre established, with a view of ultimate annex- 
ation to the United States. The invaders, a couple of hun- 
dred in number, crossed the Rio Grande and attacked the 
Mexican force. The Mexicans were victorious and Mr. 
Johnson was severely wounded, he then leaving the field and 
the country in disgust. Hon. Hendrick B. Wright wrote of 
him in a local paper : "When I was a boy in the old school 
iiouse on the Public Square, I was in the same class with 
Ovid F. He was a man of much intelligence. He became 
a leading man in the State ; was attorney general under Gov- 
ernor Porter. Ovid and myself studied law under the late 



25 

t^xcelient Judge Conyngham, in 1829 and '30. We wete ad- 
mitted to the Bar in November, 1831, and commenced the 
practice of the law together in November, 1831, under the 
firm name of Johnson & Wright." 

Ovid F. Johnson married (July 28, 1835,) Jane Alricks" 
(James-', Hcniianus*, [Vessels'^, Pietcr''), and they resided 
at Harrisburg. She was born January — , 1813 at Oakland 
Mills, Juniata Co., Pa., and died at Harrisburg, December 
21, 1901. 

(Penna. Genealogies, v. i, p. 22.) Children: 

Fanny Alricks Johnson, m. Hon. Samuel T. Shugert, Bellefonte. 

Hannah lanthe Johnson. 

Martha Alricks. 

Ovid Fraser Johnson, lawyer, Harrisburg and Philadelphia. 

A biographical sketch of Ovid F. Johnson appears in Dr. 
Egle's History of Dauphin County, p. 508. See also pamph- 
let of Dr. William H. Egle on the Buckshot War. 

(75) Mary Giddings Johnson" {J ehoiada'' , Jacob*, 
Jacob^, William-, Thomas'^), b. Nov. 3, 1809, d. Nov. 12, 
1880. Married Charles Reel. Children (Reel), all of 
Wilkes-Barre : Miles, Helen Marr, Diantha, Frances 
(Dolly), Benjamin F. Reel. Both sons served in the Civil 
War.' 

(76) Jehoiada Johnson {Jehoiada^, Jacob*, Jacob^, 
William-, Thomas'^) was born Jan, 20, 1812, and died Dec. 
31, 1 87 1, at the old homestead in present Parsons Borough. 
In 1834, at the age of 22, he enlisted in the regular army — 
Co. I, First Regular Dragoons — and served five years during 
the Seminole and Texas wars. He married Priscilla Scovel. 
Children : Harriet Scovel Johnson, Emily Wright Johnson 
(who m. Judson Wheeler and had two children) and 
Thomas M. Johnson. All of Parsons, Pa., old Laurel Run. 

{77) William Perry Johnson" {Jehoiada^, Jacob*, 
Jacob^, William-, Thomas'), b. March 14, 1814, d. Jan. 26. 
1893, Dallas, Pa. Farmer, School Director and Justice of 
the Peace. Married Eliza Roderick, who died Feb. 3, 1901. 
Children: Wesley Johnson, 2nd (who had a son Andrew), 
Jane, wife of Emanuel Sinclair; George Frazer Johnson. 



26 

Robert H. Johnson (had daughter Clara) and Sarah, wife of 
Clayton J. Ryman (had daughter Eliza). 

(78) Miles Johnson'^ {Jehoiada-', Jacob*, Jacob^, Will- 
iam^, Thomas^), b. March 16, 1816, d. Oct. 6, 1889, in Cali- 
fornia. He learned the cabinet making trade, but not find- 
ing the business to his liking he shipped as carpenter on a 
Nantucket whaling vessel, making a three years' cruise 
round the world. After the cruise he returned to Wilkes- 
Barre and was engaged in business for a time in mining and 
shipping coal. After disposing of his real estate at Laurel 
Run, the present Borough of Parsons, which subsequently 
became of immense value by reason of underlying coal de- 
posits, he in 1847 emigrated to Green Lake County, Wiscon- 
sin, purchasing a fine farm on the beautiful Green Lake 
prairie. Soon after he married Philomena (born Nov. 23, 
1830), a daughter of Spencer Burlingame. In 1851 he re- 
turned to Wilkes-Bar re and engaged successfully in the 
manufacture and sale of furniture. He was again seized 
with a determination to move westward and in the spring of 
1858 set out on the long journey with his wife and four chil- 
dren in a canvas-topped wagon. After crossing the Alle- 
ghanies, steamer travel was taken advantage of at Pittsburg 
and by descending the Ohio and sailing up the Mississippi 
he reached Missouri, where he located near the town of 
Mexico. In three years' time he had a fine farm under cul- 
tivation and a comfortable home. Then came the troublous 
times incident to the breaking out of the Civil War. Sur- 
rounded on every side by Southern sympathizers he soon 
found himself a marked man, his life and property unsafe. 
The institution of slavery then flourished on every side and 
this he found distasteful. Refusing to employ slaves he was 
known as an Abolitionist and his presence was no longer 
permissible. Seeing that a peaceful residence in his new 
home was impossible, in the spring of 1861 he sacrificed 
everything, and again putting his family into a "prairie 
schooner" he joined a party of emigrants and started toward 
the setting sun. Six months of daily travel amid dangers 
from storm and flood, hostile Indians and reckless men, at 
last brought the party to the land of gold, just as the great 
mining excitement was dying out and before the agricultural 



27 

era began. He lived for a time in northern California and 
a while in San Francisco, where he followed his trade of 
cabinet maker, but most of the remainder of his life was 
spent in the interior of the State following agricultural pur- 
suits. His death occurred at Lathrop, Cal, Oct. 6, 1889. 

Children of Miles Johnson, all living in California : 

i Sarah Ann, b. Sept. 16, 1S48, m. Aug. 7, 1866. Amasa M. Bul- 
lock. Children: Annie E., Walter M., Sarah M (m 
Walter M. Bird), Orin. Amasa, Helen M., Paul H Fred 
D., George W., Laurie H. 
il Walter Miles Johnson, b. Dec. 8. 1849. m. Ella Langdon. Chil- 
dren: Wells B., Charles L., Anna B. (m. Franklin E. 
Richards), Helen Mar (m. Cornelius A. Orr), Genevieve 
Miles F., Dale Spencer, Alice E., Walter R., Omer, Rob- 
ert A., Gladys K. 
iii Willis Alanson Johnson, b. June 18, 1852, d. Oct. 11, 1853. 
iv Welles Butler Johnson, b. May 11, 1854, m. Jan. 16, 1890, 
Augusta Eugenia Leach, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Children: 
Dorothy, Lois, Jessie. 
V Omer Hamlin, b. Sept. 24, 1856, d. Jan. 9, 1857. 
vi Helen May, b. Nov. 18. 1857, m. Sept. 30, 1886, William James 
Robinson. Children: Bethbira T., Willard J. Live at 
Lodi, Calif. 
vii Cynthia Metzgar Johnson, b. June 11, 1860, m. John P. At- 

vvood. 
viii Frank Burlingame Johnson, b. Aug. 19, 1863, d. Feb. 12, 1864. 
ix Jessie Bell Johnson, b. June 4, 1866, m. William R. Parsons. 
X Alice Nina. b. Jan. 12. 1869. 
xl Blanche Estelle, b. July 31. 1871, m. Miller Scott. 

(79) Sarah Ann Johnson" (Jehoiada^, Jacob*, Jacob^, 
IVilham-, Thomas\ b. March 18, 1824, m. Henry Colt Wil- 
son, who was b. at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Sept. 17, 1818, and d. 
Feb. 13, 1892, at Mount Vernon, O., where he was a pros- 
perous farmer. Mrs. Wilson died at Columbus April 20, 
1903. Children (Wilsou), all residing at Columbus, O. : 

i Edwin Frazer Wilson, A. B., A. M., M. D., b. at Wilkes-Barre, 
Pa., prominent physician at Columbis, O. Graduated from 
Kenyon College 1882, and from medical department of 
University of Pennsylvania 1885. Professor of Thera- 
peutics, Electro-Therapeutics and Clinical Medicine, 
Ohio Medical University; Physician to the Protestant 
Hospital, Counseling Physician of Hawkes Hospital, 
Physician in Chief Columbus Sanitarium, Fellow of the 
American Academy of Medicine, Member of the Ameri- 
can Medical Association, Ohio State Medical Society, and 
Columbus Academy of Medicine. Married Elizabeth Cor- 
delia, daughter of Col. Samuel Thompson, Columbus. 
They had one son, Samuel Thompson WMlson, b. 1899. and 
a daughter, Sarah, d. 1903. Dr. Wilson d. at Columbus 
Aug. 18, 1902, aged 45 years. 
il Henrietta Martha, b. in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 

iii Stella Shoemaker, b. in Mt. Vernon, O.. graduated from Cook 
Co Normal School of Chicago in 1890. Principal of High 
School, Falls City, Neb., 1892. At present head of the 
Science Department at Central High School. Columbus, 
Ohio. 



28 

iv Ida M., b. at Mt. Vernon, O., graduated M. D. from Ohio 
Medical University of Columbus, class of 1896. Member 
of Columbus Academy of Medicine, Charlotte Medical So- 
ciety, Charlotte, N. C. 

(80) Priestley R. Johnson" (JcJioiada^, Jacob*, Jacob", 
William-, Thomas^), b. Dec. 20, 1819, d. July 5, 1878, at 
Wilkes-Barre, He was reared upon the ancestral farm near 
Wilkes-Barre, where he and his twin brother, Wesley, were 
born. As a member of a firm composed of George Knapp, 
Gould P. Parrish and himself, he established the first exten- 
sive manufactory of powder kegs by machinery in this re- 
gion. The business was successfully conducted for ten 
years. He was for some years engaged in the stove and 
hardware business in Wilkes-Barre and served for some 
years as Street Commissioner with unusual acceptability. 

Hendrick B. Wright wrote of him: 

"It was at a remote day that I became acquainted with Priestley, 
a boy then of some ten or twelve years of age. Ovid invited me to 
visit the family at Laurel Run. Priestly and his brother were set- 
ting their nets on the banks of Mill Creek, to catch wild pigeons. 
I have a distinct recollection of young Priestley. He was a bright, 
intelligent looking lad. From that time to the day of his death, 
I knew him well and intimately. And it affords me much pleasure 
to say that in all that time he was a good and exemplary citizen. 
Sober, honest and upright in his dealings. Priestley R. Johnson 
was in the third generation of his family, from the time of the 
Wyoming settlement— and all of the family through three gener- 
ations, two of which I can testify to, were all men of sound judg- 
ment; and men of industry and good social habits." 

The Leader spoke of him : 

His father died while he was yet a child of tender years; and 
he grew to manhood on the farm of his ancestors, where he and 
other brothers continued to cultivate the soil and win a scanty 
subsistence for the family of younger children by persistent and 
diligent labor. Fortunate for him, he had a mother to impart les- 
sons of virtue, morality and economy, in the good old Scottish way 
of her fathers, lessons which, being once fixed in tl.e memory of 
youth, will never be departed from. Early in life he married 
Sarah, a daughter of Simon Monega, a soldier who followed the 
fortunes of the great Napoleon on nearly all the bloody fields of 
Europe during that warlike period. 

Children of Priestley R. and Sarah Johnson : 

i 
i Henry Frazer Johnson, m. Elizabeth Ely. Children: Har- 
riet, Henry F. Jr., Priestley R., Sarah H., Taylor Baird. 
Dr. ' John Ely, Howard Yardley, Frederick Corss. 
ii Franklin Pierce Johnson, m. Martha Reinhart, Mount Ver- 
non, O., and had one son, Robert M.. who married Mary 
Mann. 
iii Hannah Elizabeth, 
iv Mary A. 



29 

(8i) Wesley Johnson^ (Jclwiada'', Jacob*, Jacob^ 
William-, Thomas^) was born Dec. 20, 1819, and died at 
Wilkes-Barre, Oct. 27, 1892. The following with some ad- 
ditions is taken from the Wilkes-Barre Record's obituary 
notice : 

He received his schooling at the old Wilkes-Barre Academv an.l 
at the age of 23 (1841) he went to Philadelphia and entered the 
office of his brother, the then Attorney General. Ovid b\ Johnson 
when after a course of four years' reading, he was aumittud to the 
bar of that city and subsequently to the Luzerne Liar. He never 
took kindly to the law as a profession, but pursued the study of 
Its elementary principles more as a philosophical sLudent of a 
noble science than as being the means of obtaining a livelihood. 
It was a desire to avoid litigation rather than lo reap personal 
gain by becoming a party to it, that probably had much to do with 
weaning him from practice as a lawyer. Those who knew him 
best say he had a well grounded knowledge of the law, and had it 
not been distasteful, there is no reason why he should not have 
shone as an advocate. He was preeminently a man of peace. He 
never provoked a quarrel and he always turned away when a 
quarrel threatened, so as not to be drawn into it. 

He never held any important public office in his native town, but 
while pursuing his studies as a law student, he accepted an ap- 
pointment of U. S. Inspector of Customs. In 1845, after the an- 
nexation of Texas, he emigrated to the new State, and after spend- 
ing a summer traveling over various parts of the country, he went 
south to join the army of invasion, intending to go with Gen. 
Scott's forces to the capital of Mexico, but he was obliged to desist 
in consequence of failing health, and proceeded no further than 
Tampico. He practiced law for a time at Galveston. Having let- 
ters from leading Philadelphians he had access to prominent people 
and had unusual opportunities for acquiring information of the 
country. In 1874 he contributed to the Wilkes-Barre Record a 
series of sketches reminiscent of his experiences in Texas and 
Mexico. Among other facts noted was that his brother Ovid 
figured in a plot with certain Mexican officers to incite the northern 
States of Mexico to rebellion and annex them to the United States. 

He returned to his old home and was engaged in business for a 
couple of years, but this quiet life did not suit his adventurous dis- 
position. In 1849 Wisconsin was assuming prominence as a rap- 
idly developing region and Mr. Johnson joined the throng of East- 
ern pioneers who were hastening thither. The Fox River was then 
an inviting point, as it promised to become an important govern- 
ment canal, which was to connect the Mississippi River with the 
great lakes. Though the subsequent development of railroads 
shattered the day dream of the canal projectors, yet the move- 
ment went a great way in planting the region with a hardy 
band of pioneers who made Wisconsin one of the richest of our 
Commonwealths. Mr. Johnson settled in Marquette County, on the 
border of the "Indian land," and was elected clerk of the circuit 
and county courts. At Marquette in 1852 he married Cynthia Hen- 
rietta Green, whose father and brothers had emigrated from Ver- 
mont and who had a leading part in developing that region. Mr. 
Johnson returned to Wilkes-Barre with his wife and infant son in 
1853. He never afterwards practiced his profession, but engaged in 
mercantile pursuits and continued an active worker till his place 
was burned out in the Market street fire of 1866. He was subse- 
quently in the flour and grain business till 1872. when finding the 
labor too excessive he was compelled to retire from active trade. 

After his retirement from active business he was for several 
years elected Alderman of the Fourth Ward without opposition. 
His rulings were considered models of fairness. He did not en- 
courage litigation, even to earn fees, and many hundreds of cases 
that came to him were through his advice terminated by private 



30 

cettlement without resort to the courts. He also held several posi- 
tions of trust, such as City Auditor, Judge of Election, etc. 

He was one of the projectors of the Wyoming Centennial of 1878 
and was the secretary of the Commemorative Association from its 
inception to the day of his death. His compilation, the memorial 
volume is one of the standard annals in the local history of the 

^Mriohnl?^ was by politics a Democrat, though not strongly 
pa^tisanln matters of national politics he voted with his party, 
hi/t nn local issues he knew no party ties. During the Civi War, 
wiien the Democracy was divided, he was for the Union and when 
Lee invld?d" ennsyWania Mr. Johnson responded to the call for 
home guard volunteers and hastened to the fiont. ^^nspicu- 

Gentle in manner and considerate of others he was conspicu 
„i,, o ciiont mnn Not eiven to much talking, ne was evei d. 
good^istener Possessed of In inquiring and analytical mind and 
fretentve memory he had a large fund of i"fo^"^ation on a range 
L !,,>fHf.nt^ His nowers of observation were good and he had a 

he had the pen of a ready writer. 

The Wilkes-Barre Leader made the following editorial 
reference to his death and also gave an extensive obituary: 

ThP ranks of the older inhabitants of the City of Wilkes-Barre 
well read in the law and a ^^^^^^^J^^^f/ i^7'7'tj,g obligations of his 

Urtant line of endeavor >'■» 1°=» J'" ('■eemeclhlm for his many ex- 
„^lU^ru.Si«'i;n"'Ms'^'™norceT'SSTremar.ab.vunassum,n. 

character. 

Wesley Johnson was twice married, first to Cynthia Hen- 
rietta Green, Marquette, Wis., May 12, 1852. She was born 
in Vermont, March 13, 1827, and died at Wilkes-Barre, Aug. 
,0 i8^S Her parents were David Sands Green and Mary 
(TuttfeV Green of the Weare (N. H.) Greens. Wesley and 
Cvnthia Johnson had two children-Frederick C. Johnson, 
b' 1853 and Zebulon Butler Johnson, born Feb. 3. 1855, who 
died same year. During that same year Mr. Johnson was 
&lso bereft of his mother and his brother Ovid. 



31 

Wesley Johnson's second wife, whom he married in 1856, 
was Frances, widow of Frederick McAlpine. She died 
April 21, 1888, aged 73 years. They had one child, Mar- 
garet Colt Johnson, b. July 7, 1857, <J- Nov. 30, i860. Mrs, 
Johnson was the only daughter of Seth Wilson, an old resi- 
dent of Wilkes-Barre, and she was born in 181 5. Her 
mother was Rebecca, a daughter of Abel Yarington, one of 
the pioneers of the valley. Another daughter of Mr. Yar- 
ington was the wife of Arnold Colt, whose daughter, Tem- 
perance, married Pierce Butler, and another, Julia, was the 
wife of Hon. Andrew Beaumont. Another, Mary, was the 
wife of Sharp D. Lewis, Esq. Deceased first married Fred- 
erick McAlpine, who died in 1854, leaving a son and daugh- 
ter, Andrew W. McAlpine, (died 1900), and Lizzie M. Mc- 
Alpine. 

Frederick Charles Johnson'^ (son of (81) Wesley John- 
son) was born at Marquette, Green Lake Co., Wisconsin, 
March 2, 1853. He attended the public schools in Wiscon- 
sin and Pennsylvania, and took a partial course at Ripon 
College, Wisconsin, with the class which graduated in 1873. 
Beginning with 1871 he had a business training of about ten 
years in Wilkes-Barre, meanwhile contributing to local 
papers and doing special correspondence from the coal re- 
gion for the Chicago Tribune. He also spent part of the 
year 1881 in Chicago on the reportorial staff of the Tribune, 
and was for many years after on its list of correspondents. 
He took a three years' course in the medical department of 
the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1883, but in- 
stead of engaging in practice he took up journalism, pur- 
chasing the Wilkes-Barre Record in partnership with J. C. 
Powell. 

For several years he served on the committee appointed 
by the State Board of Public Charities to inspect the public 
institutions of Luzerne County and he also served in 1902 as 
prison commissioner under appointment of the court. In 
1904 he was selected by the Republican State Convention as 
a presidential elector for the Eleventh Congressional Dis- 
trict. At the reunion of the class of 1883 (Medical Depart- 
ment) on the occasion of its 20th anniversary in Philadcl- 
that duty was discharged during the ensuing year. Aside 
phia Dr. Johnson was invited to prepare a class history and 



SEK 19 1904 



32 

from his newspaper duties he has found time for the prepa- 
ration of numerous historical and genealogical articles and 
he has translated many specimens of German poetry into 
English. Dr. Johnson was married in 1885 at Oshkosh, 
Wisconsin, to Miss Georgia Post of Knoxville, Tenn. They 
have three children — Ruth^ b. Jan. 17, 1887; Frederick G.. 
b. Oct. 22, 1890, and Margaret, b. June 20, 1899. Both Dr. 
Johnson and his wife are descended from the Weare (N. 
H.) Greens. 

The Greens were Quakers. Isaiah settled in Weare, N. 
H., in 1768. Isaiah had nine children. Of these David was 
the ancestor of F, C. Johnson and Elisha was the ancestor of 
Mrs. F. C. Johnson. "History of Weare." 

Elisha^ (Isaiah^) was born in 1762, died 1826. He mar- 
ried Abigail Gove. Among their five children, Elisha^, b. 
1792, d. 1884 in Wisconsin, was the father of Harriet E. 
Green (who married J. H. Post) and grandfather of Mrs. F. 
C. Johnson. 

David Green^ (Isaiah^) was born in 1766, died 1836. He 
and his brother Elisha married two Gove sisters. David's 
son, David Sands Green^, was the grandfather of F. C. 
Johnson and died in Wisconsin in 1870. 

Children of David Sands Green^ all lived in Wisconsin : 

Gardner Green, b. 1823 at Weare, N. H. 

David M. Green, b. 1825 at Lincoln. Vt., d. in Wisconsin, 1894. 

Cynthia H. Green, b. 1827 at Lincoln, Vt., d. 1855. 

Jesse Tuttle Green, b. 1829 at Lincoln, Vt., d. 1904. 

Charles Green, b. 1836, d. 1843. 

Mrs. F. C. Johnson's paternal grandfather was Stephen 
Titus Post, born in i8i8 at Rome, N. Y., and a son of Gil- 
bert and Elizabeth (Titus) Post. His wife was Angehna 
Mosher of Rochester, N. Y. Stephen lived in New York, 
Wisconsin and Tennessee. Children : Joseph H., Knox- 
ville; Matilda E, Van Fossen, Dunsmuir, Calif.; Frank H., 
Phebe Jane Barton, Knoxville, Tenn.; Kittie A. Goff, 
Maryville, Tenn. 



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